Kerry Killinger

Kerry Killinger (born June 6, 1949) is an American businessman and author. He is founder and CEO of Crescent Capital Associates, and previously served as chairman and chief executive officer of Washington Mutual from 1990 until 2008. He and his wife Linda co-authored the 2021 book Nothing is Too Big to Fail: How the Last Financial Crisis Informs Today. The book received the Axiom Business Book Awards Bronze Medal, the Nautilus Award for Journalism and Investigative Reporting Silver Medal, and the IPPY award for Finance/Investments/Economics. Early life and career Killinger was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He received his education at the University of Iowa, from which he received his BBA in 1970 and MBA in 1971. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1972 as an investment analyst with Bankers Life Insurance Company of Nebraska, and moved on to Murphey Favre in 1976 where he rose from a securities analyst to executive vice president and director. Philanthropy Throughout his life, Killinger (with his wife Linda) has supported charitable organizations and higher education institutions in Seattle, Des Moines Iowa, and Palm Desert California. Through the Kerry and Linda Killinger Foundation they are founding sponsors of Cascade Public Media's Crosscut Festival in Seattle, and a Communications and Civility in our Democracy Summit at Iowa State University.